Page 8 of Alejandro's Prey

She lifted stormy eyes to his and said, her voice strong, “I understand, Alejandro. I also understand that you still haven’t asked me to marry you. So, as far as I’m concerned there is no marriage or ring until I’ve said yes.”

He stared at her, his mouse turned vixen in the space of a day. He could see anxiety beginning to replace her bravado as she worried that he might smash her tart words under his usual dominance. For some reason, he wanted her to feel comfortable in saying what she wanted to him, so he gave her hand a squeeze, grinned and replied, “Give me time,cariña. Now pick up your menu and tell me what will make my love happiest to eat.”

She melted into her seat, picked up her menu and smiled sweetly as she chose first an appetizer, then a main course. Alejandro watched her every move, the predator purring in satisfaction. He was making his bride happy. A necessary evil since he had no intention of ever letting her go. Whether she rejected his ring or not, it was going on her finger and she was going home with him.

Chapter Seven

9 months earlier

Gina knew she shouldn’t be outside at that time of night. It was one of Alejandro’s many rules. The women, especially family, were never to walk alone after dark. But damn it, she needed air. She was used to independence. After Sosa had helped her escape from America, ensuring she wasn’t caught up in the senseless slaughter of her’s and Casey’s entire family, he’d placed her in his country home in Venezuela. But she’d mourned terribly for her family; her dead parents, her beloved older brother, missing and murdered. Beckett had been only a few years older than her, protective and loving, set to take over the family business, killed in his prime. When Gina couldn’t find happiness in Venezuela, Sosa moved her to London where he had connections and she could easily disappear in the massive metropolitan centre. In Britain she’d grown up, grown independent and learned to relax and enjoy life.

Upon learning that her cousin was alive and thriving, Gina had returned to South America. She put on a happy face and was now doing her best to match her heart to her face. It wasn’t always easy. She missed her London life and friends. She rarely talked to Casey about the life she’d left behind, but in the decade since she’d escaped the massacre she had gone to college, earned a degree in business and joined a consulting company. It wasn’t her dream job. Gina actually had no idea what her dream job was, but earning a wage, making her own way had given her a sense of accomplishment. Especially after the life she’d left behind.

Now she was back. Returned to the beast. Mafia. She was part ofla familiaand there would be no escaping a second time. Thus, her need for a nighttime walk. Because sometimes being the quiet little mouse that never made a fuss became unbearable and she needed to leave her stifling room in the stifling mansion and just breathe. If she didn’t, she might go mad and try to run away. Such an action would constitute a betrayal of the family, a thought that didn’t bear considering. Besides, she truly did love Casey. She had no real desire to leave. Most of the time.

She made her way down the familiar unlit path toward an unmarked building. She didn’t know what it was for, she just knew that there were no exterior lights to give away her nocturnal activities. She’d taken this walk many times in the past months when the need to get away from the house, out into the air, had overwhelmed her. When panic pressed down on her chest and she’d felt as though she couldn’t breathe. When her empty bedroom pressed in on her, though it was as big as any in the mansion, beautifully furnished, with all the amenities a woman could ask for.

She trailed her fingers across a scrub bush, her lips quirking a little. She preferred this building. It was stark and honest. It felt like it belonged to the compound. Unlike the beautiful mansion surrounded by carefully manicured trees and bushes that weren’t native to the region, this building was adorned with tiny, barely surviving bushes, all natural to the Altiplano. They were like Gina and Casey; surviving casualties of a war. Only this war was with mother nature instead of the Mexican cartel.

A door banged open around the corner of the building and light flooded the area next to Gina, chasing off the shadows. She pressed a hand against her mouth to stifle the cry that threatened to escape and pressed herself back against the cold concrete slabs of the wall. Her heart hammered in her chest. She heard the click and flare of a lighter and then moments later the familiar scent of a cigar.

Without warning a massive shadow swooped in front of her and a voice growled, “Ah, so it is you creeping around out here, little mouse.”

A small scream erupted from her lips and she tried to jump sideways to escape him, but he grabbed her arm and hauled her back, pushing her against the building. She calmed slightly when she realized it was Alejandro. She should have known. The scent of his cigar was achingly familiar by now. He held her tight and lifted a hand to her face, the one with the cigar held loosely between his fingers. He touched her jaw, tilting her face up to his and studied her closely. She knew the light fell across her so he could see every fleeting emotion, while she could not clearly see his face in the darkness.

He held her that way for a long, uncomfortable moment. Her breathing was ragged, her chest lifting and dropping in jerky, uneven movements. She thought she saw the flash of his eyes dip down but couldn’t be certain in the dark. Fear of his retaliation because she’d broken his rule about walking after dark extinguished any possible arousal she might have felt. Though she found Alejandro extremely attractive, he was far too overbearing and intimidating for her to contemplate him more than fleetingly. He was for nighttime fantasies, not for considering an actual relationship with.

Finally, he lifted the cigar to his mouth, clamped it between his teeth and jerked her away from the wall. Without a word he walked her rapidly back up to the house, through the side door where she’d come from and up the curving staircase to her room. When they arrived he dropped his hand from her arm. Though she was wearing a heavy sweater and a coat to protect her from the cold mountain air she still felt somehow bereft. Confused, she stepped quickly away and reached for the door.

He put a hand out, stopping her. She looked up at him, knowing exactly what he was going to say. “No more walks, Gina.”

Though his voice was low, without inflection, she knew she was getting off easy. Alejandro was an enforcer. He didn’t repeat himself. Ever. Yet he was repeating this rule to her even though she’d broken it repeatedly. And looking up into his blank, ruggedly handsome face, she suddenly realized that he probably knew each and every time she left the mansion. He’d allowed her nighttime walks for some reason. But now he was ending them.

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and strode away, leaving her to enter her room alone. She watched his long, muscular frame until it disappeared and then pushed her door open and escaped into the sanctuary of her room. She knew that this time he expected her compliance. This time there would be consequences if she defied him. She didn’t know what they would be, and she suspected she didn’t want to find out.

Gina turned the lamp on next to her bed and glanced in the standing mirror before moving away to remove her clothes and get ready for bed. She frowned and turned back to the mirror seeing a shadow on her chin. Approaching the mirror slowly she tilted her face up toward the glass and touched the shadowy marks. She looked down at her fingers with a frown when she realized they were wet. She whimpered as horror suffused her. She knew exactly what was on her face. Blood-soaked fingerprints.

Alejandro had left them there on purpose. A warning about little girls wandering around the dark by themselves. It hit Gina then what that unmarked plain building was used for. And she knew that she would follow Alejandro’s rule, she would never willingly go back there again.

Chapter Eight

Present day

Gina didn’t need Alejandro’s warning. She knew that their marriage wouldn’t always be happy. She’d known from the moment she admitted to herself that she was in love with the mobster, the day after he’d caught her walking alone in the dark. She’d gone to bed and cried herself to sleep as she’d acknowledged the course her life would take if she gave into her feelings for Alejandro. When she’d woken she’d given herself permission to embrace that world and that was when she’d become truly happy with life in Bolivia.

“Gina.”

She looked up, startled and blinked into Alejandro’s sinister handsome face as he leaned into the open car door. She accepted the hand he offered, slid from the car and into his loose embrace. His men quickly surrounded the couple and escorted them into La Paz’s hottest night club. Gina wasn’t the type to truly enjoy the club scene and wondered why he would bring her here. So far, Alejandro had hit the mark with each and every one of her preferences. It seemed odd, knowing Gina preferred solitude and quiet, that he would bring her to a noisy, busy hotspot. However, she trusted Alejandro, he would have his reasons.

He led her past a lineup and several bouncers without stopping. She wasn’t surprised. Alejandro was well known in La Paz. Even if his men hadn’t sent word ahead of their arrival, his presence alone would ensure their swift inclusion. Alejandro led her through the open door and without pausing, turned and made a path for them toward a VIP section. Gina was grateful that they would get their own seating area and when they arrived she sat quickly on one of the sofas.

Alejandro ordered drinks for them and had a quick conversation with Fredo, gesturing rapidly. She supposed he was telling the men where they should stand for optimal security. Her lips twitched up. After all, he was the best when it came to security. It was like a head chef leaving his own meal planning up to a subordinate. Somewhat impossible.

The noise was beginning to get to Gina so when Alejandro turned back to her, she unthinkingly reached for his hand and tugged him gently, indicating she wanted him to sit next to her. She blushed at her own audacity but retained her hold on his hand. He glanced around again and then sat next to her, close enough that his long thigh pressed full length against hers. She sighed happily and snuggled into his side.

She tilted her head and looked at him curiously.

“You’re wondering why I brought you here,” he said, some amusement in his voice since the question was probably written all over her expressive face.

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